- UN chief says Pakistan’s contribution to climate change minimal but among most affected
- Shehbaz thanks Guterres for his ‘extremely kind and generous gesture’ of visiting Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged the international community to extend massive support to Pakistan as the country battled immense floods.
The UN Secretary-General flanked by PM Shehbaz Sharif at a joint presser held here at the National Flood Response and Coordination Centre (NFRCC), said the world needed to amplify its assistance to Pakistan in the wake of the natural disaster.
PM Sharif and Secretary-General Guterres visited the NFRCC where they were given a briefing about the situation of floods across the country.
The UN Secretary-General besides urging support for flood relief assistance also emphasized debt support for Pakistan to help the country overcome numerous challenges including economic stability.
Guterres, who had earlier launched a global appeal to raise $160 million for the flood-affected people of Pakistan, said joint efforts were required to help the country overcome the consequences of climate change.
PM Shehbaz Sharif & Secretary General United Nations António Guterres visited NFRCC and were briefed on the massive havoc caused by recent flood and ongoing relief activities by the government, across the country.#UNSGinPak#SolidarityVisit pic.twitter.com/QKK8kkdIXw
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) September 9, 2022
Pakistan, he said, despite its little contribution to climate change was bearing the negative effects of the phenomenon of natural disasters.
He said it was absolutely essential for other countries, particularly those contributing to carbon emissions, to mobilize resources for Pakistan following the devastating monsoon.
“Today, it is Pakistan and tomorrow it could be any other country. Mobilizing resources for Pakistan is a matter of justice,” he said.
PM Shehbaz Sharif & Secretary General United Nations António Guterres did a Joint Presser at NFRCC after being briefed in detail regarding the devastation caused by floods & govt's rescue & relief activities in flood hit areas across the counrty.#UNSGinPak#SolidarityVisit pic.twitter.com/k3QfkQIp4h
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) September 9, 2022
The Secretary-General said Pakistan was witnessing an “unprecedented natural disaster” and lauded the government, army, and NGOs for working together in a “remarkable way”.
Guterres said he would continue to raise his voice for the Pakistani government and people who were grappling with difficult situations amid floods.
“Pakistan is in my heart as I have worked with this country for 17 years while the nation extended enormous generosity to Afghan refugees for decades,” he said.
PM Sharif expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary-General for his “extremely kind and generous gesture” of visiting Pakistan to get first-hand information and express solidarity with the people.
“We are very grateful for the solidarity demonstrated by you as 33 million people suffer dire conditions in the wake of heavy floods,” he told the Secretary-General, who arrived in Islamabad early this morning.
The prime minister said the civil government along with armed forces was carrying out massive rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas.
He said Pakistan was facing the brunt of natural disasters and a similar situation could be faced by the rest of the world in future.
Sharif emphasized that after the rescue operations, Pakistan needed enormous funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
The government, he stressed, was doing its best despite meagre resources and assured the Secretary-General that the dispensation of flood assistance would be made in a transparent manner.
Chairman NFRCC Dr Ahsan Iqbal in his briefing mentioned that the 2010’s super floods affected 20 million people, however, the current flash floods impacted 33 million across the country.
He said hill torrents proved a challenge amid a lack of efficient infrastructure to deal with the disaster and resulted in heavy loss of lives, infrastructure, livestock and crops.
He said Pakistan was expecting around three percent reduction in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the backdrop of a combination of challenges including floods, IMF programme and the economic situation in the aftermath of Russian-Ukraine war.
Coordinator NFRCC Maj Gen Zafar Iqbal in his briefing said one-third of Pakistan was inundated in water covering a land area equal to the size of the United Kingdom, Portugal, New Zealand and Ecuador.
He said floods led to the loss of over $30 billion including the damage to 750,000 livestock.
In Sindh, he said, the national railway track remained underwater and the train service from Islamabad to Karachi could not be operated at the moment. It was highlighted that Manchar Lake burst at three places, affecting the railway line.
In Balochistan, he said, four districts were still under water.
The NFRCC official said the coordinated efforts among civil government, military and NGOs including the UN aid bodies were in full swing, adding that the assessment survey on relief operations in the provinces would start by Monday.
Pakistan among most affected
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Pakistan’s contribution to climate change was minimal but it was one of the countries most affected by its consequences.
He made the remarks as he attended a briefing at the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The UN chief is currently in Pakistan on a two-day trip to seek the world’s support for the catastrophic floods which have devastated the country and to highlight the urgency to deal with the climate change crisis.
PM appreciated UNSG’s strong support & advocacy for mobilizing international assistance, including for $ 160 million UN “Flash Appeal” to fund Pakistan’s Flood Response Plan & his leadership & timely intervention for putting global spotlight on challenges posed by floods.
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) September 9, 2022
Guterres began by expressing his appreciation for all those working tirelessly to support the victims of this “unprecedented natural disaster”. “Humanity has declared war on nature and nature is tracking back. But nature is blind. It is not striking back on those who have contributed more to the war on nature,” he said.
Pakistan has contributed very little to climate change but is one of the countries most affected by its consequences, he highlighted. “It is like nature has attacked the wrong targets. It should be those that are more responsible for climate change that should have to face these kind of challenges.”
It is the international community’s obligation to drastically reduce emissions and support countries that need to invest in resilience and recovery, he said.
“My voice is entirely at the service of Pakistan and its people. We know our contribution is limited [.] but we are totally committed.” He went on to say: “I have always seen an enormous sense of solidarity in Pakistan. My admiration for this country and its people is limitless [.] I will do my best to raise awareness in the international community.”
Speaking at the briefing, the premier thanked the UN chief for undertaking the visit, saying that his empathy and support was “great encouragement”. “The government of Pakistan, along with the provincial governments and all stakeholders [.] are working together to provide relief and rescue to millions,” he said.
PM Shehbaz said that efforts were underway and flood affectees were being moved to safer areas while also being provided food and shelter. “The challenge is absolutely beyond human capacities, yet humans have to handle it and we are.”
He once again thanked the UN secretary general for visiting Pakistan, stating that authorities would provide him with first-hand information about what was happening in the country.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister had welcomed the UN secretary general as he arrived at the PM House along with his delegation. The premier and the UN chief held a meeting to discuss the situation arising out of the catastrophic floods in the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif receiving Secretary General United Nations António Guterres upon his arrival at Prime Minister’s House.
#UNSGinPak pic.twitter.com/zkFzfAgBjJ
— PM Shehbaz Sharif (Updates) (@ShehbazUpdates) September 9, 2022
The two sides focused on joint efforts to carry out relief, rescue and rehabilitation at international level to mitigate the sufferings of the flood-affected people.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomes United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres upon his arrival at Prime Minister's House in Islamabad. #UNSGinPak#SolidarityVisit pic.twitter.com/T7X9bIJLrR
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) September 9, 2022
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and senior officials were also present in the meeting.
